DURING the build-up to last night's LDV Trophy tie, Dario Gradi had played down talk of lightning striking twice.

The Crewe boss claimed his side's 5-0 league win at Field Mill just 52 days earlier was a 'one-off'.

Perhaps so, but striker Rob Hulse was keen to prove his manager's theory wrong, as he became the first Alex player to hit a hat-trick since Colin Little's treble in a 5-0 demolition of Bradford City back in April 1998.

With surface water on the pitch following torrential rain, the match was in doubt until just before kick-off.

But once play got underway, Crewe started where they had left off in the August sunshine.

The Stags shot themselves in the foot after four minutes when midfielder Lee Williamson squandered possession and Alex captain Dave Brammer slipped in Hulse who showed good composure to beat Kevin Pilkington.

Gradi had bemoaned his side's poor use of set pieces during the defeat by Plymouth at the weekend and Kenny Lunt wasted little time in putting things right.

His 14th minute free-kick picked out Efe Sodje at the back post and he headed across the area for when Rodney Jack whose shot cannoned off Neil Moore and fell to Hulse who smashed home his 12th goal of the season from 10 yards.

Stags manager Stuart Watkiss had said he would soon be managing the Dog and Duck after seeing Crewe cash in on woeful defending during the league encounter between the sides.

His side have picked up since then, but Watkiss, who had to watch the game from the directors' box due to a three-match touchline ban, was soon sweating again.

Jack outpaced the Stags' defence in the 19th minute and teed up Lunt who brought a superb save out of Pilkington and seven minutes later, Lunt played in Steve Jones who shot wide from a promising position.

Mansfield enjoyed their best spell at the start of the second half with Ademole Bankole looking a little rusty on his return to the Alex goal, but two quick strikes ended Mansfield¹s interest in the competition.

Lunt released Jack down the right in the 59th minute and he burst past Mark Hurst and reached the by-line before cutting back a centre which Hulse hammered home on the volley to lay claim to the matchball.

He almost had a fourth two minutes later. David Wright produced some fine play down the left and crossed for Lunt. His shot forced Pilkington into a fine save and when Hulse¹s effort from the rebound was blocked, the ball fell to his strike partner Jack who claimed a deserved goal.

In the event, lightning didn't strike twice but the Stags survived a couple of late scares as Crewe fell short of delivering another nap hand.

Even so, they held more than enough cards to progress into round two and leave Gradi eyeing the main prize.

'I haven't win many trophies in my career and although we've got a few in the cabinet, this would be the biggest of them all. Realistically, it's the only competition we enter that we have a chance of winning.'

Mansfield won't be arguing. They will just be glad to see the back of Gradi and his men. What odds a return to Field Mill in the FA Cup?